Last reviewed June 2026 – check GOV.UK for the latest figures · Source Gas Safe + NICEIC + FENSA + HETAS + TrustMark + Consumer Rights Act 2015
UK rogue traders cost householders an estimated £1bn+ per year. The fix is simple: only hire someone who's registered with the relevant statutory or industry body. This page is the complete UK verification map. Free always.
Sourced to TrustMark, Gas Safe, NICEIC, FENSAStatute + industry registersFree alwaysUpdated 1 Jun 2026
Three rules that stop 95% of rogue trader losses
(1) Never pay more than 25% upfront. (2) Get the contract in writing before work starts — quote, milestone payments, completion date. (3) Verify their registration on the body's official register, not their website. If they don't appear, walk away.
Legally required by UK law
These registrations are not optional.
If you're paying for gas, electrical, building-control-affecting, or solid-fuel work, the person doing it must be on the relevant register. Hiring someone who isn't can void your insurance and invalidate your house sale.
Gas Safe Register
LEGALLY REQUIRED
Every UK gas engineer must be on the Gas Safe Register (replaced CORGI in 2009). It's a criminal offence under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to work on gas without registration. Each engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card with photo + licence number.
How to verify: Ask to see the ID card. Then check the licence number on gassaferegister.co.uk — "Check the Register" tool. Confirms qualifications + work types they can do (e.g. cookers vs boilers vs LPG).
Most UK electrical work in dwellings is "notifiable" under Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 — meaning a registered electrician must self-certify OR your council Building Control must inspect. The three biggest UK competent person schemes are NICEIC, ELECSA + NAPIT.
How to verify: Each scheme has its own register. NICEIC at niceic.com/find-a-contractor. ELECSA at elecsa.co.uk/find-an-electrician. NAPIT at napit.org.uk. They issue a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate after the work — you'll need this for a future house sale.
Statute: Building Regulations 2010 Part P · niceic.com
FENSA / CERTASS (windows + doors)
REQUIRED FOR SALE
Replacement glazing in a UK dwelling must comply with Building Regs Part L. Two competent person schemes self-certify: FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme) and CERTASS. The certificate is what buyers + solicitors look for on house sale — without it, you may have to pay for retrospective Building Control approval.
How to verify: Find at fensa.org.uk/installer-finder or certass.co.uk.
Wood burners + solid-fuel installations must comply with Building Regs Part J (chimneys + flues). HETAS-registered installers self-certify; otherwise council Building Control. Stoves Online + many domestic-product warranties require HETAS-installed.
How to verify: hetas.co.uk/find-a-registered-business.
Oil + biomass heating installers must be on OFTEC competent persons register to self-certify under Building Regs Part L. For boiler servicing + tank work.
For UK solar PV, heat pumps, biomass boilers + battery storage to qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, Smart Export Guarantee or any other government incentive, the installer must be MCS-certified.
How to verify: mcscertified.com/find-an-installer.
TrustMark — the only government-endorsed UK quality scheme.
For home improvements not covered by a specific competent person scheme (e.g. general building, plumbing, joinery, plastering), TrustMark is the gov-backed verification.
How TrustMark works
TrustMark is endorsed by the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. Member firms have been vetted on: customer-service standards, trading practices, technical competence. TrustMark uses 32 scheme operators (including NICEIC, FENSA, Gas Safe, etc.) — so a TrustMark member is also typically on the relevant competent person register.
Reviews can be gamed. Look for pattern: dates, response quality, photos.
Sub-contracting. The person quoted may not be the person doing the work.
Insurance gaps. Directory insurance often only covers small claims.
Always cross-check on the legally-required registers above (Gas Safe, NICEIC, FENSA, etc.) before commissioning work.
If it goes wrong
Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015:
Care and skill — the work must be carried out with reasonable care + skill.
Materials must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, as described.
Reasonable time — if no completion date agreed, must be completed in reasonable time.
Reasonable price — if no price agreed, must be reasonable.
If a trader breaches these: write to them, set a deadline to fix, give them one chance to remedy. If they don't, you can either reduce the price OR claim the cost of getting another firm to fix.
Escalation routes
TrustMark dispute resolution — if a TrustMark member; free.
FMB Conciliation — if an FMB member; free for households.
Which? Trusted Traders Alternative Dispute Resolution — mediation + arbitration for Which? Trusted Traders.
Section 75 Consumer Credit Act — if you paid £100+ with a credit card, joint liability with the trader.
Citizens Advice consumer service — 0808 223 1133 for general consumer advice.
Trading Standards — via Citizens Advice. For rogue trader patterns.
Small Claims Court — for disputes up to £10,000 in England/Wales (£5,000 in Scotland, £3,000 in NI). Online: gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money.
The honest note
SortedUK is not a trade directory, not a verification scheme, and we receive no referral fees from any of the bodies above. Everything is sourced to the relevant UK competent person scheme or statutory authority.
Ask for the registration number. Check it on the body's official site (not theirs). Get the contract in writing. Pay no more than 25% upfront. If it goes wrong, you have statutory rights under Consumer Rights Act 2015.
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